many feelings on ghost story by matthew dickman that have stewed in my brain for months; the entire poem is him attempting to insert himself into a situation he has created in his head to absolve him of guilt over his harm, like if he imagines hard enough he can become the victim. it's this horrific sort of voyeurism like he can know it, feel it, experience it, like he can watch it happen. it's a poem centered around his guilt and his thoughtless cruelty and it uses a csa victim as its vessel, dreams him a helpless ghost with some terrible phantom spearing him open, and it's hideous. an assaulted child is not a can of soup or an animal with its brains bashed in or a device to use and discard for a mediocre poem. dickman stands on the outside like a reporter clicking pictures and writes like he's been victimised by his own carelessness, mentions children he's cared for as proof of guilt. it's obscene!! it is a truly pathetic poem and for it to be written dickman had to truly truly hurt someone and the poem is not about that person, it's about how sad he feels now. i hateeee it.